Russia to host 2022 world volleyball champs

Although host of this summer's football World Cup, Russia had cut an isolated figure on the international sporting stage since the 2015 state-sponsored doping scandal.

An FIVB statement justified awarding the event to Russia, pointing out it had won gold at the London 2012 Olympics. (File Picture)

Russia was on Thursday chosen to stage the 2022 world volleyball championships by the sport's governing body the FIVB at its world congress in Cancun, Mexico.

Although host of this summer's football World Cup, Russia had cut an isolated figure on the international sporting stage since the 2015 state-sponsored doping scandal.

The World Cup went ahead as it had been designated for Russia in 2010, years before the doping revelations surfaced.

Russia's anti-doping agency RUSADA was suspended after Russia was found to have practised widespread doping between 2011 and 2015, especially at the 2014 Winter Games hosted in Sochi.

The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) lifted the suspension on September 20, a move that was met with strong condemnation in some quarters but which was a major step towards Russia's rehabilitation on the world stage.

An FIVB statement justified awarding the event to Russia, pointing out it had won gold at the London 2012 Olympics.

And federation president Ary Graca said: “After a very competitive bid process, the FIVB unanimously concluded that Russia's bid was the best one for the global development of volleyball.”